Hikes and Outdoors

Close to Colorado Springs

Black Forest Regional Park — walk through the aftermath of the most destructive forest fire in state history

Castlewood Canyon State Park East SideWest Side  great scenery, but very popular

Cheyenne Cañon Seven Bridges Trail, Helen Hunt Falls

Cheyenne Mountain State Park — Lots of trails through oak and pines on the lower slopes of Cheyenne Mountain

Dawson Butte Ranch Open Space — Easy five-mile loop through pine and scrub oak forests with views of the Front Range and Dawson Butte.

Eagle Peak — steep, hard climb to great views of Pikes Peak and north Colorado Springs

Fox Run Regional Park — walk through a Ponderosa forest and maybe see black Abert’s Squirrels

Garden of the Gods — Central Garden TrailBalanced RockSiamese Twins

The Incline — Very steep hike up the track of an old incline railroad.

Lincoln Mountain Open Space — not super exciting, but close and not crowded

Monument Rock — rock outcropping and easy trails in Pike National Forest

Mount Herman Trail — “like The Incline, but without steps”

New Santa Fe Regional Trail — Palmer Lake to MonumentMonument to Baptist Road flat and easy walk along old railroad bed

Palmer Lake Reservoir Trail — short but steep hike to two small lakes in pine woods

Palmer Park Templeton TrailOverlook  the feel of the wild right in the city

Pulpit Rock — views of Colorado Springs

Red Rocks Canyon Open Space — great views of mountains and city with quarries and ponds

Spruce Mountain

Ute Valley Parkthe feel of being away right in town

Further away

Eleven Mile State Park (Lake George) — the eastern end is pretty, but not a lot of hiking opportunities

Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument — easy to moderate trails through meadows and pine forests at 6,800 feet with great views of Pikes Peak.

Great Sand Dunes National Park — sand, and lots of it, also tubing and sand sledding if you’re so inclined.

Mount Evans (Idaho Springs)

Mueller State Park (Divide) — Trails 7 and 8Grouse Mountain Overlook, Raven Ridge Overlook

Paint Mines Interpretive Park (Calhan) — small canyon, easy hike, stunning colors

Rocky Mountain National Park Bear Lake, Trail Ridge Road, West Side

Roxborough State Park (Roxborough Park) — amazing sandstone formations

Tunnel Drive Trail (Cañon City) — beautiful, easy trail along the Arkansas River near Royal Gorge

Vindicator Valley Trail (Goldfield) — two-mile loop with amazing views at 10,000 feet past the remains of old gold mines